John 4:31-38
June 3, 2013 AM
Pastor Craig Ledbetter
I.
Introduction (Romans 9:1-3)
A.
Paul was so grieved about just
how lost people were – especially HIS own people
1.
He carried a heavy burden on his
heart, that kept him praying, begging God for His own people to turn from their
religion, to Jesus Christ
2.
That burden pushed him to keep
confronting the Jews, keep upsetting them, keep compelling them to get born
again!
B.
A burden…
1.
Is a motivation, a pull or a push
against us that gets us to do what doesn’t come naturally
2.
More than that, it is having a
heart, the is broken over the lost-ness of people’s souls. It is caring for
people’s souls
C.
People today care more about
their pets, and the climate, and endangered species, than they do about people’s
eternal, never-ending souls
D.
The challenge is to overcome
spiritual apathy, personal pride, and fear – basically overcome our lack of care
for people’s souls
1.
This is like a plague throughout
Christianity today!
2.
It not only happens to the normal
Christian Joe Soap, but also to pastors, missionaries, missionary wives – to us
all!
E.
Jesus was burdened, grieved,
broken hearted for the lost around Him
F.
We need to keep burdened for
souls!
II.
Background (John 4)
A.
The disciples had no burden for
the Samaritans
1.
To them, they weren’t equal to
the Jews
2.
They were just “people” who were
in the way between
3.
Like “Travellers” (Gypsies), or
other minorities
4.
And example of their attitude was
in Luke chapter 9, when the Samaritans were being very rude and abusive towards
Jesus and His disciples, James and John asked Jesus if they could “pray” and get
FIRE to fall from heaven against those Samaritans like God had judged
B.
But the problem wasn’t really
with the Samaritans, it was with all people in general. The Disciples did not
have much of a burden at all for the people they were supposed to be preaching
to. Would often ask Jesus to send people away
C.
The disciples loved learning the
Bible, and loved spending time with Jesus…
D.
But they had a hard time caring
about souls!
E.
I pray that we all get a proper
burden for souls this morning!
III.
Message
A.
Admit It (John 4:31-33)
1.
That you probably don’t have the
kind of burden for people like you should
2.
Jesus had a purpose, and drive
that the disciples didn’t have
a.
The followers of Jesus were
motivated by hunger, by tiredness
1)
So they would go and get food
2)
Or seek out a place to rest
b.
But, Jesus had a sustenance
better than all of that – something that sustained Him
1)
He wasn’t hungry for food – he
wasn’t weary of the trip
2)
He was hungry for a lost woman in
3)
And he was weary of the devil
winning in people’s lives and homes!
3.
Compared to how we SHOULD BE, we
are cold, and
4.
It takes quite a bit to get
people to admit that they are cold, and indifferent towards souls
a.
Not that they don’t care…
b.
But most people don’t care
about souls, and about heaven and hell issues – they just
don’t care!
c.
We all care about
1)
Injustices, about physical
abuses, about lack of funding, about child welfare
2)
We care more about our Sports
teams, Politics, Economics and job situations
d.
Oh these are things that we care
passionately about!
e.
But very few people are burdened
and broken over lost souls
5.
Admit that there probably is a
load of sin and carnality blocking your softness of heart
a.
Usually sin in our own lives is
not properly seen as our problem
b.
Yet it is usually the biggest
problem
c.
Dull of hearing
d.
Hearts are WAXED gross – become
very fat with sin
e.
Not hungry for souls to be saved
6.
Let’s take a moment and see what
is in all our hearts and has all our attention…
a.
Arguments in your home
b.
Struggles financially or even
physically (health)
c.
Maybe there is secret sin that
has its grip on you (Matthew 24:12)!
d.
Iniquity is sin, disobedience to
God, and filling your heart with wrong thoughts and wrong desires!
e.
THAT’S why you won’t come out
soul-winning on Saturdays
f.
THAT’S why you don’t care!
B.
Accept It (John 4:34; Mt 11:28-30)
1.
It is the will of God that we
care
a.
That we care for each other –
love one another
b.
That we love out wives, children,
husbands
c.
AND, that we love souls of people
who are lost
2.
Accept that burden from God
3.
God’s will IS a burden, a weight,
a brokenness in your heart
a.
It rarely is awesome, and fun,
and wonderful
b.
It is however, given to every
believer
c.
It is the job we have to do
1)
Like ambassadors in a foreign
country
2)
Like Search and Rescue teams,
risking their lives to save someone in danger
3)
When someone asks them, Why do
you risk your life? They will easily and quickly respond, Because it’s my life,
my job, my purpose!
4.
Jesus gave us our Purpose – our
Commission
a.
Acts 1:8 “And ye shall be
witnesses unto me”
b.
Mt 28:19,20 "Go ye therefore, and
teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and
of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have
commanded you
c.
Luke 24:47,48 "And that
repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all
nations, beginning at
5.
It is His yoke, HIS Burden!
Matthew 11:28,29
6.
Jesus is so often surprised that
we don’t care about the people we meet and talk to!
7.
When He has commanded us to care!
C.
Open Your Eyes – be Attentive – pay
close attention (John 4:35)
1.
We can tell there are months yet
before harvest of wheat and barley. The stalks are still green, and short
2.
But look on “the fields” – take
ANOTHER LOOK
3.
WHITE, ready for harvest meant
glistening, golden white, past ripe!
a.
No time to waste
b.
When it was golden was the
best time, but white means the wheat berries were falling to the ground and
could not be gathered very easily anymore – it was getting too late!
4.
Just TAKE A LOOK AT THE CONDITION
OF THE FIELDS
5.
Jesus is talking about
fields of people
a.
People are more than just bodies
– they are SOULS (Acts 27:37; 2:41)
b.
They are not young and innocent
anymore
c.
They are
way beyond their due date
6.
Notice just how lost, how needy
people are of Jesus
a.
People are blind, crippled, lame,
deaf on the INSIDE to the life that is in Christ!
b.
The anger level of the crowds
c.
The homosexual agenda
d.
The lack of “God” is most of our
culture
e.
There is a general HATRED of
anything religious, and connected with God
f.
That people are going to hell –
and need someone to intervene!
1)
Not because they just sin
2)
But because they don’t do right –
they don’t do God’s right (Romans 10:1-3)
g.
Our generation does not know God,
and does not care to know the God of the Bible!
h.
That’s aweful! That’s a dangerous
way to live
D.
Attempt to Win a Soul (John 4:36-38)
1.
The best part!
2.
Something happens when you START
to CARE – it grows on you
3.
The doing of God’s will is so
satisfying
4.
Winning a soul is like catching a
fish (Luk 5:9,10)
a.
For he (Peter) was astonished,
and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken:
And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with
Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch
men.
5.
There are HUGE rewards to
soul-winning
a.
Pro 11:30
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls
is wise.
b.
SOULS getting saved is a huge
reward
c.
Your own family being saved is
another
d.
Salvation of a nation is a great
thing
e.
God honours us with rewards!
f.
Joy! Best fun ever! Not in the
planting, and weeding, but in the HARVESTING!
6.
Just do your part (1Cor 3:5-9) –
do something for a lost person to hear!
a.
“Who
then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the
Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the
increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that
watereth; but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that
watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his
own labour. For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye
are God's building.”
b.
Some plant
c.
Some weed
d.
Some water
e.
And some reap/harvest
f.
Everyone working together –
entering into each other’s labours will bring home a harvest – MY NEXT POINT!
7.
Remember, (remind yourself of
this)… you are doing for the Lord – out of love for Him! And you will find
yourself loving the souls HE loves!
E.
Anticipate Souls (John 4:36-38) – expect
someone to believe!
1.
Every farmer plants, believing
that he will have an harvest
2.
So should we!
3.
Don’t just go, but go
believing!
a.
Believe that you will get a
burden as you go – even before you feel it
b.
Believe that God will give you
the power and wisdom you need as you go
c.
AND, believe that He will reward
you with a soul
F.
Ask For a Burden for Souls (Matthew
9:35-38)
1.
It’s funny, but THAT should be
our constant prayer!
2.
We ask for so many wrong things
3.
Ask God to break your heart, and
make you care about the lost!
4.
To make you care about the SOULS
of your co-workers; your brothers, sisters; your neighbours; just anyone you
meet!
G.
Abound In It (John 4:38)
1.
While the disciples were getting
a lesson in soul-winning, and they were debating in their minds whether it was
all that important, a single woman, a Samaritan woman was out ABOUNDING in
soul-winning and turning a village upside down with the Gospel!
2.
Don’t just dabble in soul-winning
3.
Get absorbed by it – addicted to
it!
4.
If you SOW, you WILL reap! It is
a law of nature! Count on it!
5.
AND… By nature, you WILL reap
MORE than you plant!
a.
Every Euro you give will bear
fruit
b.
Every tract you give away, will
do some good
6.
Make soul-winning than a hobby…
7.
Make it a way of seeing people,
events, life as more than just what’s on the surface!
a.
Every disaster… think of just how
lost they are
b.
Every world event… pray and ask
God to send a Gospel preacher and church starter to them
c.
Start to look for openings and
opportunities to talk about the wonderful works of God in your life!
d.
We all ought to be very
soul-conscious; very spiritually minded people!
8.
A farmer, thinks pretty much
about: dirt, soul, rocks, weeds, fertilizers, ploughs, rain, storms, rotivators,
seeds, combines, harvestors, baling machines, bales, and the market! Yep! That’s
what a farmer thinks about, because that is his life!
9.
What do YOU think about?
IV.
Conclusion
A.
Paul was so grieved about just
how lost people were – especially HIS own people
1.
He carried a heavy burden on his
heart, that kept him praying, begging God for His own people to turn from their
religion, to Jesus Christ
2.
That burden pushed him to keep
confronting the Jews, keep upsetting them, keep compelling them to get born
again!
B.
Do YOU have a burden for souls?
C.
Or are you kind of like the
disciples in
D.
If you would like to get a
burden, a broken heart once again for souls…
1.
Admit that you need it! Confess a
cold heart as sin!
2.
Accept It – the Holy Spirit is
constantly putting it into all of our hearts! Accept it as a GIFT from God!
3.
Open Your Eyes – be Attentive – pay
close attention to the lostness of people – it will have a strange effect on
you!
4.
Attempt to Soul-Win – just try it –
you might just LOVE it!
5.
Anticipate
Souls – we have to go and
tell someone by faith! Believing someone will get born again!
6.
Ask God For a Burden for Souls
7.
Finally, Abound in it – don’t just
start and stop, or dabble… get all the way in
E.
From this very day, forward!
1.
Grab you some tracts and just start
handing to anybody who will take them
2.
Start up a conversation at work,
telling people how Jesus Christ saved your soul
3.
Pray for an opening with someone you
know needs to be saved, and then go through that opening when it opens up!